Maria is the mother of three daughters. And even though her middle child, Alejandra, passed away before Maria came to Cope Family Center, Alejandra is one of the main reasons Maria is here.

A year after Alejandra’s death from leukemia at age three, Maria was pregnant with her third daughter. While the whole family looked forward to the new baby, Maria was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions. “I was so happy to be pregnant,” Maria remembers. “But I cried and cried for Alejandra.”